Recent Select Publications

  • Gaddam RR, Pathuri M, Deb P, Dwivedi S, Vikram A, Kasina V, Amalkar VS, Lira VA, Kaur H, Dhanesha N, Mangolam AK, Bahal R, Vikram A. Engineered miR-122 inhibitors preserve endothelial mitochondrial function and prevent vascular dysfunction in obesity-associated prediabetes. Mol Ther Nuc Acids. Mar 12; 102830, 2026.
  • Yamada M, Iwata M, Ito H, Warabi E, Oishi H, Lira VA, Okutsu M. Exercise enhances antioxidant protein levels in oxidative skeletal muscle via IL-1β. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. Jan 1; 330(1):R35-R45, 2026.
  • Sebag SC, Neff T, Qian Q, Asghari A, Wang Z, Zhang Z, Li M, Hao M, Lira VA, Sun H, Potthoff MJ, Yang L. Thermogenic Adipose ADH5 Counteracts Age-related Metabolic Decline. bioRxiv [Preprint]. Sep 26; 2025.07.01.662628, 2025.
  • Allen RJ, Kronemberger A, Shi Q, Pope RM, Cuadra-Muñoz E, Son W, Song LS, Anderson EJ, Pereira RO, Lira VA. Altered Relaxation and Mitochondria-Endoplasmic Reticulum Contacts Precede Major (Mal)Adaptations in Aging Skeletal Muscle and Are Prevented by Exercise. Aging Cell. Sep;24(9):e70137, 2025.
  • Ramos-López D, Caulier-Cisterna R, Díaz-Ortiz B, Baumann-Biancani C, Hunger-Abbott K, Herrera-Matas M, Vega-Moraga A, Lira VA, Espinosa-Ramírez M, Ramírez-Parada K, Gabrielli-Nervi L, Verdejo HE, Contreras-Briceño F. Sex differences in the prefrontal cortex and muscle oxygenation during exercise until exhaustion in endurance-trained individuals. Exp Physiol. Nov 29. doi: 10.1113/EP093287, 2025.
  • Bi J, Witt E, McGovern MK, Cafi AB, Rosenstock LL, Pearson AB, Brown TJ, Karasic TB, Absler LC, Machkanti S, Boyce H, Gallo D, Becker SL, Ishida K, Jenkins J, Hayward A, Scheiflinger A, Bodeker KL, Kumar R, Shaw SK, Jabbour SK, Lira VA, Henry MD, Tift MS, Otterbein LE, Traverso G, Byrne JD. Oral Carbon Monoxide Enhances Autophagy Modulation in Prostate, Pancreatic, and Lung Cancers. Adv Sci (Weinh). Mar; 11(9):e2308346, 2024.
  • Marcotte GR, Miller MJ, Kunz HE, Ryan ZC, Strub MD, Vanderboom PM, Heppelmann CJ, Chau S, Von Ruff ZD, Kilroe SP, McKeen AT, Dierdorff JM, Stern JI, Nath KA, Grueter CE, Lira VA, Judge AR, Rasmussen BB, Nair KS, Lanza IR, Ebert SM, Adams CM. GADD45A is a mediator of mitochondrial loss, atrophy, and weakness in skeletal muscle. JCI Insight. Nov 22;8(22):e171772, 2023.
  • Yamada M, Warabi E, Oishi H, Lira VA, Okutsu M. Muscle p62 stimulates the expression of antioxidant proteins alleviating cancer cachexia. FASEB J. Sep;37(9):e23156, 2023.
  • Harris MP, Zeng S, Zhu Z, Lira VA, Yu L, Hodgson-Zingman DM, Zingman LV. Myokine Musclin is critical for exercise-induced cardiac conditioning. Int J Mol Sci. Mar 30;24(7). doi: 10.3390/ijms24076525, 2023.
  • Penniman CM, Bhardwaj G, Nowers CJ, Brown CU, Junck TL, Boyer CK, Jena J, Fuqua JD, Lira VA, O'Neill BT. Loss of FoxOs in muscle increases strength and mitochondrial function during aging. J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle. Feb;14(1):243-259, 2023.
  • Bock JM, Hanson BE, Miller KA, Seaberg NT, Ueda K, Feider AJ, Hanada S, Lira VA, Casey DP. Eight weeks of inorganic nitrate/nitrite supplementation improves aerobic exercise capacity and the gas exchange threshold in patients with type 2 diabetes. J Appl Physiol. Dec 1;133(6):1407-1414, 2022.
  • Turner KD, Kronemberger A, Bae D, Bock JM, Hughes WE, Ueda K, Feider AJ, Hanada S, de Sousa LGO, Harris MP, Anderson EJ, Bodine SC, Zimmerman MB, Casey DP, Lira VA. Effects of Combined Inorganic Nitrate and Nitrite Supplementation on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Skeletal Muscle Oxidative Capacity in Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Nutrients. Oct 25;14(21), 2022.
  • Harris MP, Zhang QJ, Cochran CT, Ponce J, Alexander S, Kronemberger A, Fuqua JD, Zhang Y, Fattal R, Harper T, Murry ML, Grueter CE, Abel ED, Lira VA. Perinatal versus adult loss of ULK1 and ULK2 distinctly influences cardiac autophagy and function. Autophagy. Sep;18(9):2161-2177, 2022.
  • Lamin V, Verry J, Dokun OS, Kronemberger A, Wong T, Lira VA, Dokun AO. microRNA-29a Regulates ADAM12 Through Direct Interaction With ADAM12 mRNA and Modulates Postischemic Perfusion Recovery. J Am Heart Assoc. Aug 16;11(16):e025727. doi: 10.1161/JAHA.122.025727. 2022.
  • Senna GW, Dantas EHM, Scudese E, Brandao PP, Lira VA, Baffi M, Ribeiro LCP, Simao R, Thomas E, Bianco A. Higher Muscle Damage Triggered by Shorter Inter-Set Rest Periods in Volume-Equated Resistance Exercise. Front Physiol Feb 28:827847, 2022.
  • Lamin V, Verry J, Eigner-Bybee I, Fuqua JD, Wong T, Lira VA, Dokun AO. Modulation of miR-29a and ADAM12 reduces post-ischemic skeletal muscle injury and improves perfusion recovery and skeletal muscle function in a mouse model of type 2 diabetes and peripheral artery disease. Int J Mol Sci 23(1):429, 2021.
  • Sebag SC, Zhang Z, Qian Q, Li M, Zhu Z, Harata M, Li W, Zingman LV, Liu L, Lira VA, Potthoff MJ, Bartelt A, Yang L. ADH5-mediated NO bioactivity maintains metabolic homeostasis in brown adipose tissue. Cell Reports 37(7):110003, 2021.
  • Morales PE, Monsalvez-Alvarez M, Tadinada SM, Harris MP, Ramirez-Sagredo A, Ortiz-Quintero J, Troncoso MF, De Gregorio N, Calle X, Pereira RO, Lira VA, Espinosa A, Abel ED, Levandero S. Skeletal muscle type-speficic mitochondrial adaptation to high-fat diet relies on differential autophagy modulation. FASEB J 35(10):e21933, 2021.
  • Bhardwaj G, Penniman CM, Jena J, Suarez Bestran PA, Foster C, Poro K, Junck TL, Hinton AO Jr, Souvenir R, Fuqua JD, Morales PE, Bravo-Sagua R, Sivitz WI, Lira VA, Abel ED, O'Neill BT. Insulin and IGF-1 receptors regulate complex I-dependent mitochondrial bioenergetics and supercomplexes via FoxOs in muscle. J Clin Invest 131(18):e146415, 2021.
  • Okutsu M, Yamada M, Tokizawa K, Marui S, Suzuki K, Lira VA, Nagashima K. Regular exercise stimulates endothelium autophagy via IL-1 signaling in ApoE deficient mice. FASEB J 35(7):e21698, 2021.
  • Klionsky DJ, Abdel-Aziz AK, Abdelfatah S, Abdellatif M, Abdoli A, Abel S,......, Lira VA, et al. Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (4th edition). Autophagy 17(1):1-382, 2021.
  • de Sousa LGO, Marshall AG, Normal JE, Fuqua JD, Lira VA, Rutlege JC, Bodine SC. The effects of diet composition and chronic obesity on muscle growth and function. J Appl Physiol 130(1):124-138, 2021.
  • Zhang Z, Qia Q, Li M, Shao F, Ding W-X, Lira VA, Chen SX, Sebag SC, Hotamisligil GS, Cao H, Yang L. The unfolded protein response regulates hepatic autophagy by sXBP1-mediated activation of TFEB. Autophagy, 17(8):1841-1855, 2021.
  • Yamada M, Hokazono C, Tokiazawa K, Marui S, Iwata M, Lira VA, Suzuki K, Miura S, Nagashima K, Okutsu M. Muscle-derived SDF-1a/CXCL12 modulates endothelial cell proliferation but not exercise training-induced angiogenesis. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, Dec 1;317(6):R770-R779, 2019.
  • Fuqua JD, Mere CP, Kronemberger A, Blomme J, Bae D, Turner KD, Harris MP, Scudese E, Edwards M, Ebert SM, de Sousa LGO, Bodine SC, Yang L, Adams CM, Lira VA. ULK2 is essential for degradation of ubiquitinated protein aggregates and homeostasis in skeletal muscle. FASEB J, Nov; 33(11):11735-11745, 2019.
  • Yamada M, Iwata M, Warabi E, Oishi H, Lira VA, Okutsu M. p62/SQSTM1 and Nrf2 are essential for exercise-mediated enhancement of antioxidant protein expression in oxidative muscle. FASEB J, Jul;33(7):8022-8032, 2019.
  • Stauss HM, Stangl H, Clark KC, Kwitek AE, Lira VA. Cervical vagal nerve stimulation impairs glucose tolerance and suppresses insulin release in conscious rats. Physiol Rep, Dec;6(24):e13953, 2018.
  • Boland L, Burand AJ, Brown AJ, Boyt D, Lira VA, Ankrum JA. IFN-y and TNF-a pre-licensing protets mesenchymal stromal cells from the pro-inflammatory effects of palmitate. Mol Ther, Mar 7;26(3):860-873, 2018.
  • Turner JE, Lira VA, Brum PC. New insights into the benefits of physical activity and exercise for aging and chronic disease. Oxid Med Cell Longev, doi: 10.1155/2017/2503767, 2017.
  • Tsushima K, Bugger H, Wende AR, Soto J, Jenson GA, Tor AR, McGlauflin R, Kenny HC, Zhang Y, Souvenir R, Hu XX, Black CL, Pereira RO, Lira VA, Spitzer K, Sharp TL, Shoghi KI, Sparagna GC, Rog-Zielinska EA, Kohl P, Khalimonchk O, Schaffer JE, Abel ED. Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species in lipotoxic hearts induces post-translational modifications of AKAP121, DRP1, and OPA1 that promote mitochondrial fission. Circ Res, Jan 5;122(1):58-73, 2018.
  • Call JA, Donet J, Martin KS, Sharma AK, Chen X, Zhang J, Cai J, Galarreta CA, Okutsu M, Du Z, Lira VA, Zhang M, Mehrad B, Annex BH, Klibanov AL, Bowler RP, Laubach VE, Peirce SM, Yan Z. Muscle-derived extracellular superoxide dismutase inhibits endothelial activation and protects against multiple organ dysfunction syndrome in mice. Free Rad Biol Med 113:212-223, 2017.    
  • Laker RC, Drake JC, Wilson RJ, Lira VA, Lewellen BM, Ryall KA, Fisher CC, Zhang M, Saucerman JJ, Goodyear LJ, Kundu M, Yan Z. Ampk phosphorylation of Ulk1 is required for targeting of mitochondria to lysosomes in exercise-induced mitophagy. Nat Commun 8(1):548, 2017.
  • Yan Z, Kronemberger A, Blomme J, Call JA, Caster HM, Pereira RO, Zhao H, de Melo VU, Laker RC, Zhang M, Lira VA. Exercise leads to unfavourable cardiac remodelling and enhanced metabolic homeostasis in obese mice with cardiac and skeletal muscle autophagy deficiency. Sci Reports 7(1):7894, 2017. 
  • De Melo VU, Saldanha RR, Dos Santos CR, De Campos Cruz J, Lira VA, Santana-Filho VJ, Michelini LC. Ovarian hormone deprivation reduces oxytocin expression in paraventricular nucleus preautonomic neurons and correlates with baroreflex impairment in rats. Front Physiol Oct 13;7:461, 2016.
  • Patel DI, White LJ, Lira VA, Criswell DS. Forced exercise increases muscle mass in EAE despite early onset of disability. Physiol Res. Dec 13;65(6):1013-1017, 2016.
  • Meyers EE, Kronemberger A, Lira V, Rahmouni K, Stauss HM. Contrasting effects of afferent and efferent vagal nerve stimulation on insulin secretion and blood glucose regulation. Physiol Rep 4(4) pii12718, 2016.
  • Klionsky DJ, Abdelmohsen K, Abe A, Abedin MJ, Abeliovich H, Acevedo Arozena A,......, Lira VA, et al. Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition). Autophagy 12(1):1-222, 2016.
  • Ebert SM, Dyle MC, Bullard SA, Dierdorff JM, Murry DJ, Fox DK, Bongers KS, Lira VA, Meyerholz DK, Talley JJ, Adams CM. Identification and small molecule inhibition of ATF4-dependent pathway to age-related skeletal muscle weakness and atrophy. J Biol Chem 29(42):25498-511, 2015.
  • Chao H, Li H, Grande R, Lira V, Yan Z, Harris TE, Li C. Involvement of mTOR in type 2 CRF receptor inhibition of insulin signaling in skeletal muscle cells. Mol Endocrinol 29(6):831-841, 2015.
  • Cohen TJ, Choi MC, Kapur M, Lira VA, Yan Z, Yao TP. HDAC4 regulates muscle fiber-type specific gene expression programs. Mol Cells 38(4):343-348, 2015.
  • Lira VA. Exercise-induced cardioprotection: More to k‘NO’w. Cardiology 130(3):172-174, 2015.
  • Call JA, Chain KH, Martin KS, Lira VA, Okutsu M, Zhang M, Yan Z. Enhanced skeletal muscle expression of EcSOD mitigates streptozotocin-induced diabetic cardiomyopathy by reducing oxidative stress and aberrant cell signaling. Circ Heart Fail 8(1):188-97, 2015.
  • Okutsu M, Call JA, Lira VA, Zhang M, Donet JA, French BA, Martin KS, Pierce-Cottler SM, Rembold CM, Annex BH, Yan Z. Extracellular superoxide dismutase ameliorates skeletal muscle abnormalities, cachexia, and exercise intolerance in mice with congestive heart failure. Circ Heart Fail 7(3):519-30, 2014.
  • Okutsu M, Lira VA, Higashida K, Peake J, Higushi M, Suzuki K. Corticosterone accelerates atherosclerosis in the apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse. Atherosclerosis 232(2):414-9, 2014.
  • Lira VA, Okutsu M, Zhang M, Greene NP, Laker RC, Breen DS, Hoehn KL, Yan Z. Autophagy is required for exercise training-induced skeletal muscle adaptation and improvement of physical performance. FASEB J 27(10):4184-93, 2013.
  • Soltow QA, Zeanah EH, Lira VA, Criswell DS. Cessation of cyclic stretch induces atrophy of C2C12 myotubes. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 434(2):316-21, 2013.